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J. Drew Sheard
'Bishop John Drew Sheard '(born January 1, 1959) is a bishop and pastor of the Church of God in Christ who was elected to the COGIC General Board in November of 2012. Bishop Sheard is the son of the former chairman of the COGIC Board of Bishops, Bishop John Henry Sheard and the husband of famous Gospel recording artist and former member of the Clark Sisters, Karen Clark Sheard. He is also the father of famous Gospel recording artist, Kierra Valencia "KiKi" Sheard. Biographical Sketch Pastor J. Drew Sheard was born on January 1, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan to Mr.& Mrs. John Henry Sheard. After graduating from High School, he matriculated at Wayne State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Education, and a Master of Education degree in Mathematics. He was saved at a young age under the Pastorate of the late Bishop John Seth Bailey, and later acknowledged his call to the Ministry under the guidance of his father, Bishop John H. Sheard. He worked diligently in several positions in the church on a local and national level including choir director, Chairman of local and state youth departments, National Adjutant Overseer, Executive Secretary-International Youth Department, and in various civic capacities including Executive Director of the Michigan Chapter of the SCLC, and Board member of the Michigan Anti-Apartheid Council. On June 16, 1984, Pastor Sheard united in holy matrimony to Karen Valencia Clark. God blessed this union with two children, Kierra Valencia and J. Drew, II. Pastor Sheard’s visionary leadership has provoked phenomenal growth and the implementation of innovative programs in both his local church and the International church. During his tenure as International Youth Department President for the Churches of God in Christ from 1997 to the year 2000, the national youth department instituted many youth programs including the formation of the “Peersuaders”, Young Women of Excellence – “YWE”, Young Men of Valor - YWV, the Young Excited and Saved Club – “YES” Club, and the implementation of area rallies leading up to the annual Music & Youth -“MY” convention. He was also the founder of the C. D. Owens Scholarship that assisted gifted and aspiring students entering college with some of their many expenses. Under his leadership, Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ experienced exponential growth and phenomenal success necessitating a move from its original Highland Park, MI, quarters, to more spacious accommodations in Detroit, MI., and another move to an even larger facility in May of 2002. This move has garnered him recognition as pastor of one of the largest churches in the Church of God in Christ in Michigan. Exhibiting a genuine concern for lost souls, Pastor Sheard initiated the Greater Emmanuel TV ministry, yearly Youth and Women Conferences, the Greater Emmanuel Men’s Society (GEMS), and annual programs such as “Sanctified Men in Black” and “Holy Women in Red”. These ideas have propelled him to the forefront of both the civic and religious community, and have gained him recognition as a “bridge builder” to other denominations. Currently he serves as Prelate of North Central Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Michigan, and is the Senior Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ. In December of 2002, Pastor Sheard received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the St. Thomas Christian College. He was elected to the position of National AIM Chairman in 2008, but when his term ended in 2012, he stepped down from his position to run for the COGIC General Board. He was succeeded by Superintendent Linwood Dillard. After a long year of rigorous campaigning for The General Board in early to mid 2012, Bishop Sheard was elected to the General Board with a majority vote from many of the COGIC delegates from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Canadac. Category:General Board Members